Labor's Conflict: Big Business, Workers and the Politics of Class

Once widely regarded as the workers greatest hope for a better world, the ALP today would rather project itself as a responsible manager of Australian capitalism. Labor's Conflict provides an insightful account of the transformations in the Party's policies, performance and structures since its formation. Seasoned political analysts, Tom Bramble and Rick Kuhn offer an incisive appraisal of the Party's successes and failures, betrayals and electoral triumphs in terms of its competing ties with bosses and workers. The early chapters outline diverse approaches to understanding the nature of the Party and then assess the ALP's evolution in response to major social upheavals and events, from the strikes of the 1890s, through two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the post-war boom. The records of the Whitlam, Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard governments are then dissected in detail. The compelling conclusion offers alternatives to the Australian Labor Party, for those interested in progressive change. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 1 - Labor's love's lost?......Page 15 2 - In the beginning: Labor's first quarter century......Page 34 3 - Between the Wars......Page 52 4 - Hot war, cold war, split......Page 64 5 - Labor after 70 years......Page 78 6 - The Whitlam era......Page 92 7 - Economic rationalism under Hawke and Keating......Page 113 8 - Labor in the wilderness......Page 135 9 - The Rudd--Gillard government......Page 152 10 - The Labor Party today: what's left......Page 177 Notes......Page 203 Index......Page 230 Cover 1 Frontmatter 2 Contents 6 Preface 8 Introduction 10 1 - Labor's love's lost? 15 2 - In the beginning: Labor's first quarter century 34 3 - Between the Wars 52 4 - Hot war, cold war, split 64 5 - Labor after 70 years 78 6 - The Whitlam era 92 7 - Economic rationalism under Hawke and Keating 113 8 - Labor in the wilderness 135 9 - The Rudd--Gillard government 152 10 - The Labor Party today: what's left 177 Notes 203 Index 230 9780521138048 Provides an insightful account of the transformations in the Australian Labor Party's policies, performance and structures since its formation. Seasoned political analysts Tom Bramble and Rick Kuhn offer an incisive appraisal of the Party's successes and failures, betrayals and electoral triumphs in terms of its competing ties with bosses and workers Once widely regarded as the workers' greatest hope for a better world, the ALP today would rather project itself as a responsible manager of Australian capitalism. This book provides an insightful account of the transformations in the Party's policies, performances and structures since its formation Tom Bramble, Rick Kuhn. Includes Bibliographical References.